Talk about a show of dominance at the Chenin Blanc Challenge
THEY MAKE at least half a dozen Chenins at the Stellenrust winery in the Helderberg and another at their boutique ArtiSons cellar in Bottelary. Even the ‘standard’ version (currently R89pb) has won at the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Challenge before and is one of three Stellenrust wines with such good reviews over the years as to be included among the top of the South African Chenin Classification. It’s the Stellenbosch producer’s ‘Barrel Fermented’ number that has tended to impress most highly most often around the world, but in the 2023 edition of the Challenge the stars among the Top 10 include Stellenrust’s ‘B28’, two vintages of the ‘Stellenbosch Manor’ and the new, more premium offering called ‘Next FN Level’. Talk about sticking your chin out, but then they have the credentials to put it out there, so to speak.
There were 144 entries in the competition, hosted by the Chenin Blanc Association. On the panel of judges were: sommeliers Higgo Jacobs (chair), Jo Wessels and Shane Mumba, Cape Wine Master Ginette de Fleuriot, wine writer Malu Lambert and winemaker Shawn Mathyse of Ken Forrester Wines.
Commenting about the winning wines, Jacobs remarked on the evidence of greater vine maturity, improved viticulture and innovation amongst the producers. The use of steel, concrete, new oak, older and larger barrels as well as amphorae are “contributing greater nuance and finesse to the winning wines,” he said. “Interestingly, for the first time, the majority of the winning wines were closed under screwcap, underscoring that closure type is no longer on its own an indicator of wine quality.”
THE WINNING WINES
Alvi’s Drift Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc 2022
R280pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Cape of Good Hope Riebeeksrivier Chenin Blanc 2021
R150pb from the Rupert cellar, Franschhoek
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve Chenin Blanc 2022
R135pb ex-cellar
Flagstone Paradigm Chenin Blanc 2020
R240pb ex-cellar, Strand / Somerset West
Lievland Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2022
R180pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Mentors Chenin Blanc 2021
R169pb from the KWV cellar, Paarl
Stellenrust B28 Chenin Blanc 2022
R200pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Stellenrust Next FN Level Chenin Blanc 2022
R300pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Stellenrust Stellenbosch Manor Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2021
R200pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Stellenrust Stellenbosch Manor Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2022
R200pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Yip, maiden vintage of ‘Next Fermentation Natural Level Chenin Blanc’, marketed as ‘Next Level Chenin Blanc’. From the old vine block below our famous 1964 block. Large canopy, lower alcohol, less extracted than our other versions which are richer and riper.